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Moving with an outdoor cat?

I was wondering, how on earth you move with an outdoor cat? In our current home, we leave the window open and she comes and goes as she pleases. However, we're looking to move to an apartment in our next move. She doesn't adapt to change well (was hoping to somehow have her asleep during the drive), but I know that a lot of outdoor cats try and find their way back to their old home.

We were thinking of transitioning her to an indoor cat, at least for a while, but she's never even used a litter box before. When, if ever, will it be okay to let her out again?

My sister is moving her dh just retired from the military and her cat is an outside cat and that poor kitty is having a hard time. She said she had to get him used to her house and take him out for a lil while and then being him back in till he gets used to the area . Good luck

both my cats are harness and leash trained. I don't think it looks silly at all.

here cats are required to be on a leash when outside and since I live 2 houses away from the animal control officer I make sure my cats never go out unless on a leash.

as for house training her- I found that cold turkey works best- bring her in and do not let her go out at all for at least 3 months unless she is on a leash.

it will be absolutely horrible for you for the first few weeks, she will howl, she will cry, she will scratch at everything, When we brought a stray home we used a squirt bottle and gave hima quick shot of water when ever he started howling to go out.

he did use the litter box right away and after a couple of weeks was showed improvement, now after 10 years he only howls to go out in the spring ( even tho he is fixed) and will still cry and howl at the door every day for a few weeks and then it stops again.

You endanger your cat by allowing it to come and go. It's not true that cats don't like being inside. Take her in NOW and don't let her out again before you move or I guarnatee that you will lose her. Almost all my cats have been outdoor kitties that we brought inside and they are happy and cuddly and much safer for it. An outdoor cat is an unsafe cat, both for her and for you since she can bring diseases home from other animals. Bring her in stat!

by Anonymous 2
on Apr. 4, 2014 at 12:40 PM

Years ago we did this with my cat. We were painting the new house before moving in so we took him with us when we would go to work on it. He stayed inside the whole time. Then when we finally moved we would put him outside on a leash for the first couple months until we were sure he knew this was HIS house. After that it was fine. He never tried to go back to the old house and we only move 10 miles away.

by Anonymous 2
on Apr. 4, 2014 at 12:41 PM

2 moms liked this

Quoting EarlGrayHot:

You endanger your cat by allowing it to come and go. It's not true that cats don't like being inside. Take her in NOW and don't let her out again before you move or I guarnatee that you will lose her. Almost all my cats have been outdoor kitties that we brought inside and they are happy and cuddly and much safer for it. An outdoor cat is an unsafe cat, both for her and for you since she can bring diseases home from other animals. Bring her in stat!

All my cats have been indoor/outdoor cats and lived to be 21, 16, and 17 years old. How do you explain that?

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